Elastin is an extracellular matrix protein that is primarily found in skin, blood vessels, lung and other tissues and organs that require a degree of elasticity for function. It is classically formed when lysine residues on tropoelastin molecules become cross-linked with lysine residues on other tropoelastin molecules to form a mass that is more or less insoluble in an aqueous solution.
Elastin, tropoelastin and related proteins are expected to be useful in medical applications including tissue repair and restoration and there is a particular need for compositions having a high solids content of such proteins that can be administered to tissue by injection. While microparticles formed from biomaterials are mentioned in WO99/11196 and WO2008/058323, compositions with a less particulate structure having a high solids content of such proteins and properties of flow sufficient to enable tissue delivery by injection are not known. One problem has been that at high solids content, tropoelastin forms a mass that cannot be delivered through needles of varying gauges that are used in clinical and cosmetic applications.
There remains a need for compositions having a high solids content of tropoelastin or other elastic material and properties of flow that enable the composition to be delivered to tissue by injection.
Reference to any prior art in the specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that this prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia or any other jurisdiction or that this prior art could reasonably be expected to be ascertained, understood and regarded as relevant by a person skilled in the art.